If I spend a lot of money on a machine and use it frequently,I by all means take it in once a year(or more) for service. It's silly to nickel and dime taking a machine in for service when they cost sometimes several thousands of dollars. It's just like buying a car.... Vintage machines, with no warranty and no computer boards are a different story.

I have heard if the machine is not service yearly that some of the companies do not honer the warranty. Anyone else heard this?

Yup.

I just checked my warranty (Janome) and it does say something like "the warranty is void if...damage resulting from misuse of the Product or failure to provide normal maintenance." I would think this would be their "easy out" if you didn't have yearly service. Thanks to your post though, when I read it and was looking at the warranty card and realized I didn't know if I kept the "original receipt" (which is also required for the warranty). Luckily, after a brief search, I found it!